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An all-rounder performance from captain Zeeshan Maqsood helped Oman stun Ireland by five wickets in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023 in Bulawayo on Monday, June 19. Oman snapped their four-match winless streak with the win against Ireland.
Chasing 282 runs, Oman got off to a terrible start as they lost opener Jatinder Singh (1) in the fourth over.
Kashyap Prajapati (72 runs off 74 deliveries) and Aqib Ilyas (52 off 49) then stitched a 94-run partnership for the second wicket to rescue Oman from 9/1. Skipper Maqsood chipped in with 59 runs off 67 deliveries before Mohammad Nadeem (46* off 53) and Shoaib Khan (19* off 17) took Oman over the finishing line.
For Ireland, Joshua Little and Mark Adair scalped two wickets apiece, while George Dockrell took one.
Earlier, Ireland scored 281/7 in their 50 overs. George Dockrell starred with the bat, scoring 91* off 89 balls, including two sixes and seven boundaries. Harry Tector also contributed 52 runs off 82 deliveries.
For Oman, Bilal Khan and Fayyaz Butt picked up two wickets each, while Maqsood, Ayaan Khan, and Jay Odedara scalped one apiece.
Oman rise to second place in ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023
With the win, Oman have risen to second place in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023 group B. They are behind Sri Lanka on net run rate (NRR).
Maqsood and Co. will now look to continue their winning momentum in the tournament in their bid to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India later this year. They will face the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their next group-stage match at the same venue on Wednesday, June 21.
The top three teams from each group will qualify for the Super 6 mini-tournament. The top two teams will then qualify for the 50-over World Cup.
Besides Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka, and UAE, Scotland are also placed in Group B. Group A, on the other hand, comprises Zimbabwe, West Indies, the Netherlands, the United States, and Nepal.
